Workshops & BoFs/2011/Community FOSS

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This is a workshop for the DesktopSummit 2011

This is an ad-hoc session, meaning that the host is responsible for scheduling it. See Workshops & BoFs webpage for more information.

Title

Community FOSS

Description

LinuxFest Northwest in Bellingham, US-WA started as a way to share FOSS technology with the local community, and has grown far beyond that, attracting experienced techies from throughout the Pacific Northwest (US) and internationally known speakers. Held annually for 12 years, it is still a community driven event...one of about 17 in the U.S. I am one of the core organizers, and started the the Tutorium for community outreach a few years ago.

This BoF explores possibilities associated with developing FOSS ecosystems that are community driven rather than corporate. Local communities represent an exceptional opportunity to build more extensive FOSS awareness and offer year-round FOSS alternatives to big corporate stores, products and services. Unfortunately, there is no viable mechanism for this to happen. A mutually supportive network of locally focused FOSS organizations would have significant market influence. Local community-driven initiatives, working together with substantial FOSS projects such as KDE and GNOME, would connect tech-oriented and physical communities at the working level. Possibilities include:

  • a choice of distros that serve a range of needs and skill levels, including computer re-use,
  • cloud-based services
  • training (OS and FOSS applications)
  • widespread Internet access
  • safe, secure social applications
  • shared experiences and capabilities

A sense of community is important to many FOSS projects. The success of these projects and their community-related skills could also be valuable in physical communities. Please join this conversation to explore how FOSS might serve the local communities we each live in.

Hosts

The people responsible for hosting this session.

  • Carl Symons (carlsymons@gmail.com)

Format

General topic BoF; new project creation. Related ideas are welcome.

Time and Place

Wednesday, 10 August; 9:00 a.m.; Room 1.205

Participants

Are you coming?

  • Your name; email address; community name; country

Resources

  • Karsten Wade of Red Hat writes and speaks on related topics.
  • Jon 'maddog' Hall has been working on community FOSS ideas in Brazil. His latest gig is Project Cauã.